LARGEST AUDITED COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER • LITTLE NECK LEDGER IN QUEENS • WHITESTONE TIMES Mar. 6–12, 2015 Your Neighborhood — Your News® FREE ALSO COVERING AUBURNDALE, COLLEGE POINT, DOUGLASTON, GLEN OAKS, FLORAL PARK Plane group Baysiders torture maid: DA proposal met Police seek help in search for third suspect in alleged kidnapping, assault with criticism BY TOM MOMBERG BY MADINA TOURE ALL FOR KATY The Bayside couple ac- cused of holding their maid A new Port Authority pro- against her will and tortur- posal for a roundtable to ad- ing her appeared in Queens dress jet noise and pollution Criminal Court this week for a around Queens’ two major scheduling hearing. The third airports has drawn mixed re- suspect still actions from advocates and had not been apprehended. residents. After setting a plea hearing The PA has proposed one for April 8, the couple’s Man- New York Airports Commu- hattan attorney, Lawrence nity Roundtable with two Fisher, tried to appeal to the separate airport committees, judge, Dorothy Chin-Brandt, one for JFK and the other for to set bail for defendant De- LaGuardia. vanand Lachman. Each airport committee During the couple’s ar- will have 32 voting members, raignment, Lachman was held with representative geograph- without bail. His wife, Ambar ic coverage of communities af- Lachman, who is four months’ fected by the airport. The com- pregnant, was released on bined membership will vote $50,000 bail. The judge extend- for an executive committee, ed Devanand Lachman’s bail which will be charged with waiver to April 22, denying formulating and approving Fisher’s request. the roundtable bylaws. Com- The Lachmans are charged mittee members would vote on in a Feb. 13 incident in which the adoption of the bylaws. Devanand Lachman, 32, al- The PA and the Federal legedly proceeded to beat, Aviation Administration will burn and torture the couple’s attend each of the committee’s 54-year-old house maid until meetings as well as the execu- she admitted to stealing items tive committee’s sessions and from the couple’s home, ac- serve in an advisory capacity, cording to the criminal com- but will not be voting mem- plaint filed by the Queens dis- bers. trict attorney’s office. “After extensive outreach Holy Cross students and faculty are bringing their money and support to the table for Katy Strarck It was unclear whether to stakeholders in Queens, Monte, the wife of a 2005 graduate and courageous figure behind the #OomphForKaty phenon- the maid had actually stolen Brooklyn, the Bronx and Nas- menon on Twitter. See story on Page 3. Photo courtesy of Holy Cross anything from the Lachmans, Continued on Page 61 Continued on Page 61 Halloran gets 10 years for bribery BY SADEF ALI KULLY the arguments leading up to tised him for taking bribes as his sentencing. Halloran was a public official. He is sched- Disgraced former City found guilty by a White Plains uled to report to prison April Councilman Daniel Hal- jury of bribery, fraud, and per- 17 at noon as his lawyer ap- loran, red-faced in a charcoal jury back in July. The judge peals the verdict. gray suit, sat in federal court sentenced Halloran to 10 years Former City Councilman Dan Halloran is sentenced for his role in a brib- Wednesday in front of Judge and one month in prison, two See story on Page 2 ery scheme that rocked Queens politics all the way to Albany. Kenneth Karas listening to years of probation and chas- A CNG Publication Vol. 81 No. 10 68 total pages Halloran heads to jail CB 11: No clubhouse Judge hands down 10 years for bribery conviction at Windsor Oaks site BY TOM MOMBERG approve the amendment. They BY SADEF ALI KULLY said new information brought Community Board 11 shot forward during Monday’s pub- Former Bayside City Coun- down Windsor Oaks Tenants’ lic hearing had made them cilman Dan Halloran was Corporation’s application change their minds. sentenced to 10 years and one Monday night, which would Windsor Oaks may take the month in prison Wednesday amend a 1950 variance and al- amendment directly to Queens for his role in a bribery scheme low new construction to abut Borough President Melinda to secure a spot on the Repub- 77th Avenue residences in Katz next. Upon her review, lican line for former state Sen. Oakland Gardens. the site plan may yet go in front Malcolm Smith in the 2013 The strip of land in ques- of the city’s Board of Standards mayoral race. tion is between Bell Boulevard and Appeals. Representatives Halloran showed up at fed- and Springfield Boulevard from Katz’ office attended both eral court in White Plains in across from the bike path. the committee and community a dark-colored suit and a baby Strong community and board meetings. If a hearing blue tie alongside one of his Former city councilman Dan Halloran (r) and his lawyer leave the court- shareholder opposition was takes place before the BSA, brothers and lawyer Jonathan house in Westchester after sentencing for his role in a bribery scheme. apparent during the commu- residents said they would con- Edelstein, who was hired after Photo by Sadef Kully nity board’s regular monthly tinue to argue their case. the trial was over. meeting. Many were against a Windsor Oaks President Federal Judge Kenneth the trial alone and was found another party line, and Hal- site plan for a 5,000-square-foot Ronald Kaye was prepared Karas imposed the prison sen- guilty in July. Smith and Ta- loran should not be punished club house and 98 additional for overwhelming opposi- tence following Halloran’s jury bone went on trial in Janu- harshly because the legality of parking spaces as well as to tion, having said that such conviction last summer on ary on charges of bribery and the Wilson-Pakula is “a gray clear cutting a 100-foot-wide opposition would have arisen five counts involving Smith’s fraud and were convicted after area.” Towards the end, Edel- section of trees that Windsor out of any similar project mayoral bid and the council- a five-week trial. stein fell back on Halloran’s Oaks agreed to maintain as in any geographic location. man’s plot to direct city money Halloran played the liaison years of public service, which part of the original variance. “The objection here is sim- to a sham charity in exchange between Smith and Tabone included his experience as The tenants’ corporation ple: ‘not in my backyard.’ But, for support for his failing con- in the bribery scheme to get an Eagle Scout, to try to gain secured a loan in 2011 to be as far as residents of Wind- gressional campaign. Smith the Republican nomina- sympathy from the court. able to provide additional ame- sor Oaks are concerned, that The sentencing hearing be- tion for the 2013 mayoral race. “He lied and lied, for five nities. The loan was just refi- land belongs to all sharehold- gan with examining the level In exchange Halloran accepted days, it was troublesome and nanced in its fourth and final ers,” Kaye said. “If this proj- of charges against Halloran, almost $25,000 in bribes and offensive,” Karas said before he year to build the club house. ect was proposed for another which were doubled because also promised to reallocate announced the sentence. “Pub- Only one of roughly two property, we would have had he took bribes as a public of- $80,000 from public funding to lic officials need to understand dozen board members voted in an entirely different group of ficial, had the intent of taking bribe other players. that they cannot take bribes.” favor of the amendment, which residents expressing ‘not in additional bribes, and he per- Edelstein, Halloran’s defense The judge said the 121-month had been previously denied my backyard.’ It isn’t a good jured himself repeatedly dur- attorney, contended the penalty sentence was well below recom- by the Central/South Bayside enough reason not to have ing the five day trial. and fines Halloran was facing mended guidelines. Zoning Committee, 5-2. The this project go forward.” “The jury clearly found Mr. should be lessened because Throughout the hearing, two committee members who As many as 15 residences Halloran dishonest. I had a front he did not know he was com- Halloran sat with his hands had previously voted in favor border the proposed site plan row seat. I watched his body mitting a crime by accepting a folded over his mouth at the of the project flipped their where trees would be de- language, his body languages bribe, which Halloran viewed defense table next to his law- votes during CB 11’s motion to Continued on Page 17 said everything and his an- as a political consultant fee. yer. swers were even worse,” Karas Karas disregarded the argu- He also will be required to said.“There is no question about ment due to hours of video and serve two years’ probation af- his level of involvement.” audio evidence that showed ter his sentence is completed, The judge presided over Halloran well aware of his posi- but the judge said the disgraced the original trial of Halloran, tion he was playing in the ma- Republican legislator would not Smith and former Queens GOP neuver to get Smith, a former be charged any fines because he leader Vincent Tabone, but Democratic majority leader in does not have the money to pay granted a mistrial June 2014 Albany, a spot on the Republi- them.